BELGRADE – Only 50 percent of the Serbian citizens believe that Serbia should become an EU member state, while 37 percent oppose joining the Union, and 73 percent of the nation is against membership of NATO, according to a poll conducted by Belgrade-based NGO CeSID on June 10-20, Serbian News Agency “Tanjug” reports.

CESID Program Director Djordje Vukovic has told a news conference that the number of those who are opposed to joining the EU has increased considerably compared to the previous polls, stating that in 2011, EU entry was desired by 62 percent of citizens, while as many as 66 percents of the nation were in favor of it in 2013.

The survey showed that support to joining NATO was also in decline – only 12 percent of citizens believe that Serbia should be a member-state of the military alliance, while in 2012, that percentage was 25 percent.

According to Vukovic, CeSID’s poll, conducted with the support of USAID on a representative sample of 1,000 adult respondents, showed also a decline of trust in state institutions – 31 percent of the people believe the government, 27 percent trust in the institution of the President of the Republic, 20 percent believe the parliament and seven percent have confidence in political parties.